Matched porcelain water coupe and brush pot with traditional Chinese landscape scene, poem extolling the view and signed with bamboo and leaf icons. These are robustly potted and are mid Peoples Republic Era circa 1970 to 1980. No damage and in good condition. Water coupe H: 7.7cm/3in and D: 11cm/4.4in, brush pot H: 11.6cm/4.5in.

Very rare Qing Dynasty 18th century brush washer with Ge type and mottled off white glaze. The shape is quite unusual on this as it does not have a foot rim and has a slightly everted rim. There are a couple of blobs of extra glaze near the base that occurred while firing. D: 12cm/4.8in and H 3.8cm/1.5in.

Exceptionally rare small Tang lion from the Changsha Kiln, in Hunan Province. Almost 99% of all wares from this kiln are subject to heavy flaking and fritting of the glaze so this piece has been professionally restored and the glaze stabilized, using modern and up to date materials. Please examine the enlargements carefully. This is a vessel of some sort with a serviceable spout in the mouth most likely meant for the scholar’s desk. H: 7cm/2.8in.

Old Chinese bamboo bitong around 50 or 60 years old. A few checks in the surface but none of them go all the way through the body, an attractive rustic looking piece with nice patina and is quite large, H: 27cm/106in and D:13cm/5.1.

Rare late Southern Song Dynasty (1127CE – 1279CE),” drawer type” She inkstone, with some liwan luowen "golden star” markings, these may be noted by the presence of scattered particles of what appears to be mica and has a sparkling effect. Some chips on the top as may be noted in the enlargements,-reference from “Chinese Inkstones” Simon Kwan plate# 44. W: 6.4cm/2.3in, L: 14cm/5.5in ad H: 2.3cm/0.9in.

Good carved bamboo bitong with five panels depicting classic garden and scholar themes. I bought this Guangxi Zhuang, China in the late 1990s, a 1950 to 1960 dating seems reasonable. There is a hole drilled at the bottom and a small crack coming out of it, otherwise excellent condition. H: 13.4cm/5.2in and D: 6.8cm/2.8in.

Fine horn personal seal in standard “Kaishu’ script acquired in Kunming, Yunnan in the late 1980s carved from horn, this was well used when I got it so will give it a “guestimate” age of around 50 years- possibly older. The color of the horn is quite light for buffalo and has a very appealing grain to it. H: 7.8cm/3.1in and 1.2cm/.6in x 1.2cm/.6in.

Fine and rare “sizhi” (four straight sides) inkstone circa Qing Dynasty with footrim. This is a very conservative dating based on a similar example of an inkstone with a footrim in Chinese Inkstones by Simon Kwan pgs. 278 & 279. Good condition with one small chip noted in last enlargement. L: 11.6cm/4.5in, H: 2cm/.8in and W: 7.8cm/3.1in.

Fine and rare late Tang Dynasty shoe shaped inkstone, so named because it resembled the clog type shoe of the time. An historical aside; much of what is found in Japanese culture today traces its origins to ancient Tang Chinese culture. There is a flaw noted in enlargement #7, difficult to tell if it is a filled chip or just some impurity in the clay as it is quite hard and appears to be fired also has a very small chip noted in enlargement #8. Reference: Chinese Inkstones by Simon Kwan pgs 11 ...click for details

Ensemble of four copper/mixed metal boxes, dating late 19th/early 20th century- the square ones were meant to hold ink pads for Chinese seals and the round one is usually described as being an opium box although I have no idea if it really is or not. Other than needing a cleaning are in good condition and in my opinion the last one on the right is worth the price of the rest combined as it has a small inkstone inset in the lid. Please view last enlargement for scale and dimensions.

Quirky Qing Dynasty toggle seal with opposing crouching animal and human figures, the script translates Dou Shu (name) Meditation Hall. There are two minor crack in the wood highlighted in enlargements with red arrows. May be worn as a pendant. L: 7cm/2.8in and W: 1.9cm/.8in.

Western Han Dynasty rectangular shale inkstone with sandstone grinder. Originally this set would have come in a wooden lacquered box. Inkstone dimensions- L: 19.5cm/7.6in and W: 6.1cm/2.3in. This item comes with a custom made museum quality perspex display setting from which it may be easily removed. There are a few chips on the edge but the overall condition is good as these are usually found broken.